On New Year’s Eve at 9:13 pm, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) and Sussex Police responded to a fire in a residential flat at Bedford Towers, Kings Road. Brighton ESFRS deployed nine appliances, including an aerial ladder, a command unit, and two fire officers to tackle the blaze.
The adjacent Holiday Inn hotel was briefly evacuated as a precautionary measure. One individual was rescued from the affected flat and subsequently arrested by the police.
A Sussex Police spokesperson reported that the fire, which caused minor damage, was successfully extinguished. Guests at the Holiday Inn were soon allowed to return to the hotel.
Liam Mitchell, a 43-year-old resident of Kings Road, Brighton, was arrested in connection with the incident. He faces charges of arson with intent to endanger life and reckless arson. Mitchell was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on January 2nd.
